Process of and apparatus for smelting ores.



G. W. :WRIGHT.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR SMELTING ORES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1916.

1,21 1 805 Patented J an. 9, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

e. w. WRIGHT. PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR SMELTING ORES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY25, 1916. 1 21 1 805, Patented Jan. 9,1917.

, 2 SHIEETSSHEET 2- m lllHIIIIIHIIIIHIIIHIIIII UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. WRIGHT, OF DEM ING, NEW MEXICO.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR SMELTIN G ORES.

Application filed July 25, 1916.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, GEORGE W. WRIGHT a citizen of the United States of America, a resident of Deming, in the county of Luna, State of New Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of and Apparatus for Smelting Ores, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a method of an means for obtaining metal from zinc ore.

Prior to this invention zinc ore, mixed with carbon, has been placed in small retorts, the latter being sealed to exclude air from the interior thereof, and the retorts have been subjected to intense heat for a period of about twenty or twenty four hours. The vapor rising from the ore in each sealed retort is conducted to a condenser where it is converted into molten zinc. Actual experience has shown that molten zinc begins to accumulate in the condenser after the retort has been heated for about 30 minutes, and in about 2% or 3 hours'50% to of the metal is removed from the zinc ore. At this time the carbon in the sealed retort is in such a condition that the fumes cannot circulate freely from the ore, and it has been found necessary to continue the distilling operation for about 20 hours longer to remove the zinc from the mixture in the retort. The zinc smelters now in general use are so constructed that the supply of carbon cannot be replenished during the smelting operation, and the zinc ore cannot be stirred or agitated to facilitate the distillation of the zinc, this being due to the fact that the small retorts are sealed to exclude air, and it would be impracticable and very undesirable to open them during the smelting operation. The cost of heating the retorts for a period of 20 or 24 hours is of course very great, and the metal is impaired by the action of the intense heat. However, this is the ordinary practice which has been generally adopted and followed for a great number of years.

Realizing that the molten zinc will begin to appear in the old apparatus in about 30 minutes and that 50% to 60% of the zinc is recovered in about 2% or 3 hours, one of my objects is to produce an apparatus having its elements so constructed and arranged that the rapid dis illation and condensation Specificationjof Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

Serial No. 111,146.

may be obtained constantly during the smelting operation. Obviously, this will result in a marked saving of fuel; the quality of the metal will .not be impaired by the heat to which it is subjected for a comparatively brief period of time, and a very large per- 'centage of the metal will be recovered from the ore. Heretofore, only about 85% of the metal has been obtained from the ore. To accomplish these results, the retort must be closed to exclude air therefrom, and'the new apparatus preferably includes means for feeding ore and carbon into the closed retort, means for stirring the material in the retort, and other details of construction which will be hereinafter described. 'At the beginning of the operation ore mixed with carbon is fed into the retort and the action may be observed by looking through sight openings in the retort and the condenser. When the action of the apparatus is retarded, the ore may be stirred without opening the closed retort and the supply of carbon, etc., may be replenished without opening the retort. Hence, the highest efiiciency, may be obtained at all times, and almost all of the zinc may be recovered without subjecting the ore to an. intense heat for a long period of time.

With,the foregoing and other objects in view the invention comprises the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention; however, it is to be understood that the invention comprehends changes, variations and modifications which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended/ Figure I is a longitudinal section of a zinc smelting apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. II is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the retort, the feeding device and one of the agitators. Fig. III is a vertical section on line IIIIII, Fig. I. Fig. 1V is a front elevation partly in section. Fig. V is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the outer end of one of the inspection tubes.

A designates a retort communicating with a condenserB, a low wall 1 (Fig. I) being formed between the retort and condenser. A chamber 2 located below the retort' may be provided with any suitable means for heating the retort. Since the retort is sub jected to a very intense' heat, its bottom, side and top walls are preferably made of carborundum, such material being very strong and capable of withstanding a high degree of heat. The front wall 3 of the retort is preferably a cast 'iron member provided with a water jacket. 4 designates long rods connecting the,front wall, 3 to the condenser. Springs 5 are arranged between heads on the rods 4 and flanges on the condenser to compensate for the expansion and contraction of the retort.

The condenser B has an opening 6 (Fig. I) for the discharge of inflammable gases which pass from the interior of the condenser.- A receptacle 7 (Fig. I) is arranged below a discharge opening 9 to receive the molten metal flowing from the condenser.

10 designates a discharge pipe leading from the receptacle 7 A fluid conducting pipe 11, extending into the condenser, terminates in an ejector nozzle 12 which lies adjacent to the discharge opening 6. Steam, air or other fluid may be discharged through the nozzle 12 for a purpose which will be hereinafter described.

Tubular members 13, extending from various parts of the apparatus, are provided with sight openings through which the action in vthe'retort, condenser and discharge receptacle may be observed. To prevent the admission of air, these sight openings are closed by transparent members 14,. (Fig. V) made of mica or other heat resisting material. Each tubular member 13 is also provided with a valve 15 which may be closed to exclude the air when one of the transparent members is accidentally broken.

. The agitators for stirring the contents of the retort are preferably in the form of rakes E having hollow teeth which communicate with the long hollow operating handles 16. Each operating handle comprises an-outer tube and an inner tube (Fig. II) through which water may be circulated for the purpose of cooling the rakes.

17 designates flexible water conducting pipes (Fig. I) leading from these inner and outer tubes. I w

The rake handles 16 extend through flexible tubes'18, the inner end of each tube 18 being secured to the front wall of the retort,

and the free outer end being provided with a stuffing box 19. The rake handles are free, to slide in the stufiing boxes and the flexible tubes 18 are free to move in any direction; It will be noted that the tubes 18and their stufling boxes constitute universal bearings for the rake handles, allowing the rakes to be moved in any direction by operating their handles at the exterior of the retortf 20 designates recesses formed in the inner face of'the front wall 3 and adapted to receive the rakes E.

The combined feeding device'andclosure comprises a cylindrical piston 21 slidably mounted in the cylindrical housing 22, and adapted to be moved from the position shown in Fig. I to the position shown in Fig. II for the purpose of conducting ore, carbon and other material into the retort. A slot 23, (Fig. IV) formed in the cylindrical piston 21, registers with the discharge opening of a receptacle 24 when the piston occupies the position shown in Fig. I. The ore, carbon, etc., contained in the receptacle 24 may be discharged through the slot 23 in the piston and carried into the retort A, as shown in Fig. II. Thereafter, the piston may be turned one-half of a revolution to allow the material to fall through the slot 23 and onto the bottom wall of the retort. This material may then be distributed by operating the rakes E. It will be noted that the cylinder 22 forms a continuation of the inlet opening through which the material is conducted into the retort. When the parts occupy the positions shown in Fig. I, a head 25 at the inner end of piston 21, closes the inlet to exclude air from the interior of the retort. When the parts are shifted to the position shown in Fig. II, an intermediate head 26 will prevent the admission of air from the interior of the piston 21 to the retort. The piston is closely fitted to the cylinder, said piston serving as a valve for closing the discharge opening of receptacle 24: when the parts occupy the positions shown in Fig. II.

27 designates a piston housing, extending from the cylinder 22 and provided with a stuffing box 28 in which a piston rod 29 is slidably mounted. This piston rod comprises an inner tube and an 'outer tube (Fig. II) through which water may circulate and flow through the water jacket in the closure member 25.

3O designates flexible water conducting A water jacket 31 is preferably formed around the cylindrical housing member 22. The retort A has a discharge opening 32 (Fig. III) through which the residue may be withdrawn, said opening being normally closed by a door 33, shown in Figs. III

and IV.

In using the apparatus I have shown, zinc ore mixed with carbon is introduced into the receptacle 24 and conducted into the retort by the feeding device. This material soon becomes very hot and the vapor rising therefrom flows into the comparatively cool condenser B slopes toward the discharge opening 9 and all of the liquid just Inferred to will, therefore, flow through said opening.

The operator may observe the condition and quantity of the material in different parts of the apparatus by looking through the inspection tubes 13, and the material in the retort may be stirred Whenever necessary by actuating the rakes E, thereby exposing all of the ore directly to the heat of the bottom wall of the retort. The supply of carbon may be easily replenished by feeding the valve in the pipe 11.

Obviously, the distilling and condensingoperations will take place very rapidly, thus economizing in the use of fuel and time, and the metal will not be injured by long exposure to the intense heat of the apparatus. Moreover, the operations may be carried out continuously by feeding ore and carbon into the closed retort occasionally, until it becomes necessary to remove the residue through the opening 32.

I claim 1. A smelting apparatus comprising a retort, an agitator arranged in said retort, said agitator being provided, with an operating device which extends through a wall of the retort, and means for closing said retort to exclude air from the interior thereof, said means including a universal bearing in which said operating device is slidably mounted.

.2. A smelting apparatus comprising aretort, an agitator arranged in said retort, said agitator being provided with an operating device which extends through a Wall of the retort, and means forjclosing said retort to exclude airfrom the interior thereof, said means including a flexible tube surroundin a portion of said operating device and a stuffing box at the free outer end of'said flexible tube.

3. A smelting apparatus comprising aretort, means for closing said retort to exclude air from the interior thereof, said retort having an inlet, a feeder provided with a closure for said inlet, and a housing closely fitted to said feeder, said feeder being movable into the closed retort and said closure being movable with the feeder.

4. A smelting apparatus comprising a re- ;ort, means for closing said retort to exclude closed retort.

air from the interior thereof, said retort having an inlet, a feeder provided with means for closing said inlet, a housing to which said feeder is closely fitted, and a receptacle having a discharge opening through which material may be discharged to said feeder, said feeder being movable through said inlet to feed the material into the closed retort.

A smelting apparatus comprising a retort, means for closing said retort to exclude air from the interior thereof, said retort having an inlet and a feeder housing formmg a continuation of said inlet, a feeder provided with means for closing said inlet,

sa i dFhousing having an inlet for the admis sion of material to said feeder, thelatter having a pocket open at the top to receive said material and said feeder being adapted to reciprocate in said housing so as to carry the material into the closed retort and also adapted to turn in the housing to discharge the material in the retort.

6. A zinc smelting apparatus comprising a retort, means for closing said retort to exclude air from the interior thereof, a feeding device arranged to feed material into the closed retort, and an agitator arranged within the closed retort to stir the material therein. 1

7 A smelting apparatus comprising a retort, a feeder movable into said retort to feed the material thereto, and a water jacket at the inner end of said feeder.

8. A smelting apparatus comprising a retort, a condenser, means for closing said parts to exclude air therefrom, the condenser being provided with a discharge opening, and an ejector fbr forcing gas through said discharge opening.

9. A zinc smelting apparatus compri sing a retort, a condenser, the condenser being larger than the retort, and anejector for discharging gases from said condenser.

10. The method of smelting zinc which comprises introducing zinc ore and a reducing agent into a retort and stirring the same from time to time. '11. The method of smelting zinc which comprises introducing zinc ore and a reducing agent into a retort, partiallydistilling the zinc, then adding a reducing agent to the partially distilled zinc, and stirring the mixture in the retort.

12. The method of smelting zinc which comprises confining zinc ore and a reducing agent in a closed retort, partially distilling the zinc, then introducing an additional supply of reducing agent into the closed retort, and stirring the mixture confined in the GEORGE W. WRIGHT. 

